Cigarette package



Jan. 30, 1962 R. E. WATKINS 3,018,

CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed Nov. 7, 195"! 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RICHARD E.WATKINS AGENT Jan. 30, 1962 R. E. WATKINS CIGARETTE PACKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1957 INVENTOR. RICHARD E. WATKINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 7, 1957 AGENT INVENTOR. RICHARD E. WATKINS FIG.

IOO

States This invention relates generally to cigarette packages and has for its primary object to provide an improved modified embodiment of a standard cigarette package.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide the smoker with a complete smoking kit which includes complete facilities for his convenience and enjoyment in smoking cigarettes, and to provide all of the facilities in his original cigarette package without the addition of a single extra part in the basic package and without the need for any additional cost to him.

Another object is to provide a cigarette package which incorporates an ash receptacle without requiring the addition of a single part to an existing standard package.

A still further object is to provide an improved function to a cigarette package which will not require any additional step in the manufacturing operation during the construction or assembly of the package.

And yet another object is to provide a facility in a cigarette package by which the user may at his option employ this facility to the use of an ash tray.

And another object is to provide a modified embodiment of a standard cigarette package in which a portion of the package may be converted to the use of an ash tray without aifecting the continued use of the package in its original purpose.

And still another object of this invention is to provide a method of converting a standard cigarette package into a combined ash receptacle and cigarette holder.

And a further object is to provide a paper cigarette package containing selective cuts in the paper material in its initial manufacture whereby the assembled package may be used as a combined ash tray and cigarette holder by utilizing one of these cuts and may be used as a match book holder by utilizing the other of these cuts- And yet another object is to provide a cigarette package including a cut or perforated flap on its front panel which has a loose tip by which the user may expose an opening in the panel for the use as an ash receptacle.

Another object being to provide a method of converting a cigarette package into an ash tray which includes the steps of grasping a pair of loose tips and pulling outward to free an integral flap on the package and folding the two thicknesses of the flap to approximately thirty degrees apart, and pulling the foil wrapped cigarettes partial- ]y out of the package until the window exposed when said flaps were raised is fully opened to receive cigarette ashes.

Another primary object is to provide an improvement in a soft paper cigarette package whereby the package may be automatically converted to use as an ash receptacle.

And a further object is to provide a method by which a smoker may convert and use a package of cigarettes as an ash receptacle.

And still a further object is to provide a method and a construction in cigarette packages which include an opening whereby the interior of the package itself may be used as an ash receptacle and/ or a cigarette holder, and wherein a flap may be used to normally cover the opening, but including provisions whereby the flap may be moved either automatically or manually by either raising up or pushing down into the opening to provide this intended use.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from an examination of the following specification and drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 represents a side elevational view of the modified cigarette package which comprises this invention.

atent ice FIGURE 2 represents the cigarette package of FIGURE 1 in its unopened condition prior to use.

FIGURE 3 is a fiat plan layout of the heavy paper which is used to form the outer shell of the package of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a flat plan layout of the insert or filler piece employed in the device of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail plan view ofthe co operating and overlapping flaps of this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a cigarette package modified in accordance with the teaching of this invention.

FIGURE 7 shows one modified embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a double opening end embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modified construction of the device of FIG. 1 having match carrying slits and a striking surface.

FIG. 10 is a modification of FIG. 9 in which the opening extends the full width of the package.

FIG. 11 is a modification of FIG. 10 showing opposed opening flaps.

FIG. 12 is a modification of FIG. 11 showing facing flaps.

FIG. 13 is a modification of FIG. 12 Without flaps and having an oval receptacle opening.

FIG. 14 is a modification of FIG. 11 with a corner opening receptacle.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view of a device similar to that shown in FIG. 10 but having an inward opening flap pulled by a string from the opposite end of the package. I

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of a device similar to that shown in FIG. 8 but having increased ash carrying capacity. 7

FIG. 17 is a top end elevational view partly in cut away section of a modified cigarette package in which the WP tically extending ash receptacle expands as cigarettes are removed.

FIGS. 18 and 18A disclose a package for horizontal positioned cigarettes which employs an expanding ash receptacle.

FIGURE 19 is a perspective view of the preferred em bodiment of this invention which is a soft paper cigarette package which includes an integral ash receiving compartment.

FIGURE 20 is a front elevational'view of the device of FIGURE 19.

FIGURE 21 is a back elevational view of the device of FIGURES 19 and 20.

FIGURE 22 is a view similar to FIGURE 20 but in- FIGURE 27 is a side elevational view partly in section of a further modified embodiment of the device of FIG- URE 19.

FIGURE 28 is a top view of the package of FIGUR 27 in its unopened condition.

In the cigarette packaging art it has been the predomiinate practice to package twenty individual cigarettes in three rows within an aluminum foil which is surrounded by a light-weight paper label which is in'turn surrounded Patented Jan. 30, 1962 3 by acellophane wrapper that completely seals the package and contents.

Very recently however several of the leading tobacco companies have added a new heavy weight paper package to the market which is known in advertising language as the flip top or crush-proof box. This package is now available for public consumption at almost every retail outlet that handles cigarettes. This invention provides both a method and a construction whereby either of these standard cigarette pakages may be modified, either during or subsequent to its manufacture, into an ash receptacle for the continued and concurrent use of the package as a carrier of cigarettes and as an ash receptacle.

On many occasions a smoker will find himself in a room or location where there is no suitable. place to deposit his cigarette ashes or even an exhausted cigarette and this situation is to say the least frustrating, and at times he will be forced to refrain from smoking simply because of the unavailability of an ash tray.

However, after the introduction of the instant invention the above undesirable conditions are eliminated and the smoker having such a modified cigarette package may provide himself with an ash tray by a manipulation as simple as that of opening the cigarette package itself.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, it will be observed that one complete assembled cigarette package including this invention and utilized in the method of this invention consists basically of a rigid label housing or package shell 3 which is made up of a single fiat stamped out heavy weight label 4 (shown in its laid-out condition in FIG. 3) and a single thickness inner liner 5 which is glued to the back of the front panel 6 during the manufacture of the package shell. Label 4-is cut and shaped during manufacture to produce the rectangular hollow shell 3 when assembled which includes a foldable line 7 near the. top of its pack panel 10 cooperates with the cut lines Sand 9 in the front panel 6 and side panels 11 respectively to form the folding topsection identified as a unit at 12. A plurality of cigarettes (usually 20) are enclosed in an internal aluminum foil wrapper 14 prior to insertion into the hollow interior 15 of the shell 3 to complete the unit identified as the cigarette package 2.

The liner 5 extends rearward along its sides 17 to providea triple thickness of label when overlapped by flaps 18 and 11, of the. paper 4. The back panel 10 of label 4 and consequently shell 3 is a single thickness and the front panel 6 is a double thickness being comprised of one thickness of label 4 and one thickness of liner 5 in the area where the ash receiving opening 20 is to be formed.

When the label. 4 is stamped to provide the fiat outline shape of FIG. 3, an additional blade is included in the stamp to produce the generally U-shaped cut 22 having an upper tab 23. The balance of the flat laid out label 4-is conventional except for theaddition of the two parallel slits 24 and 25 in the back panel 10. These slits are spaced apart a distance which is less than the length ofa conventional paper match book M so that in use the paper cover of the match book may be inserted through the slits 24 and 25 and may be conveniently retained with the package as shown in FIG. 1. By virtue of the cut 22 a fiap 26 will be formed and this fiap may be folded about a line 27 to expose the opening 22 through which ashes may be passed as will be described hereinafter.

The liner 5 may be stamped or otherwise constructed in its flat laid out shape as shown in FIG. 4, and the cutter in this operation may be provided with an extra blade so that one stamping, an additional U-shaped cut 22A will be formed with a tab 23A, so that a flap 26A may be provided. By folding the flap 26A about line 27A, an opening 20A through front panel 28 of the liner 5 will beexposed.

Upon the completion of the cuts, label 4 and liner 5 may be attached together, so that their respective foldable lines 27 and 27A and their respective openings 24) and 20A will accurately coincide. However, the cut 22A of liner 5 is made intentionally shorter than cut 22 of label 4 so that upon assembly the upper portion of these cuts do not coincide as shown in FIGURE 5. The upper ends of the tabs 23 and 23A do however coincide so that the user may conveniently lift both flaps 26 and 26A 51 multaneously by pulling on the tabs.

In an additional step in the manufacturing operation, the combined parts 4 and 5 may be folded to form a shell 3 having a hollow interior 15 into which a unit of cig-' arettcs C wrapped in a fire resistant foil 14 may be placed after which the top section 12 will he closed and the thus far completed package may be completely enclosed in a cellophane wrapper 30 as shown in FIG. 2. This wrapper 30 includes an upper section 31 which is separated from the lower section 32 by a cut line which is formed when the tape 34 is pulled and the top section 31 is removed from the package. The separation line of this cellophane wrapper substantially coincides with the uppermost slit 24 on the back panel 10 so that when the smoker pulls the tape 34, the upper section 31 will come off and he may insert a match book M onto the back of his package even though he may prefer to leave the lower section 32 of the cellophane intact and in surrounding relation to the package. In one embodiment the lower section 32 may remain exactly as it is on standard cigarette packages, so that the smoker will need to insert a blade through the cellophane at a point opposite the lower slit 25 prior to use. In another embodiment, as shown dotted in FIG. 2, a second tape 35 may cover a pre-cut line 36 in the cellophane which coincides with slit 25, so that by removing the tapes 34 and 35, the package is ready for instant use as a match book carrier And of course, if the smoker plans to make use of the ash receptacle he will simply remove the entire cellophane wrapper 30 and ignore the second tape 35.

The package 2 of FIGS. 1 and 6 thus far described may be converted into an ash receptacle and/or cigarette holder without affecting its continued conventional use as a cigarette package by the steps of opening the top section 12 and placing its upper end 40 on a surface S, such as a table top, bar or other location, and allowing the rear corner 41 to rest on the same surface; and then pulling the foil wrapper '14 and its enclosed cigarettes C partially out of the package by means of the flap 42 of the foil until the lower end 43 of the foil 14 has substantially but not necessarily completely cleared the opening 20, 26A which will be formed by the step of gripping the tabs 23, 23A and lifting the flaps 26, 26A upward about their foldable lines 27, 27A; and then using his thumb to separate the two flaps 26 and 26A a sufiicient distance to permit the insertion of a cigarette C.

The package 2 has now been converted by the described steps into a complete smoking kit which contains cigarettes, matches, holding means and an ash receptacle. By allowing the lower end 43 of the foil to overlap the edge of the opening 20, 20A, the lighted end of the cigarette may rake across the fire resistant foil in knocking off the ashes A which then fall into the open interior 15 of the shell 3. Since ashes are highly compressible, the ashes formed through the normal consumption of an entire package of cigarettes may be retained in this unique compartment formed below the end 43 of the foil 14 and the bottom of shell 3 when the top 12 is re-closed. If a cigarette is inadvertently left burning in the holder formed by the two flaps 26 and 26A, the pressure of these flaps, even without fire-proofing is sufficient to cause the cigarette to go out.

In another embodiment, the cut 22 on the front panel 6 is made by a perforation cutter and is indicated at 22 in FIG. 7 to be a perforation in lieu of a solid cut line. This embodiment also shows the addition of an inner fire resistant lining 5% in the shell 103. This lining may be made fire-proof by chemical treatment of the papers 4 and 5 or it may have an integral foil side or there may be a separate foil insert added for the purpose of preventing any possibility of potentially inflammatory characteristics.

Referring now to the preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in FIGS. l9-24, it will be observed that there has been provided, well known soft paper, cigarette package 100 which incorporates a built in, selfcontained, automatic opening ash receptacle, identified generally at 101, which is normally closed by a flap 102, that is adapted to disappear when the inner foil wrapper unit 103 with the included cigarettes is lifted upward.

The package 100 is identical to conventional soft paper cigarette packages with the exception that the paper label 104 which encloses the outer sides and bottom of the package may be conventional or may be painted, coated, or lined with a fire resistant material, and one such suitable label is identical to foil wrapper 105 but reversed so that the metallic side of the wrapper faces the interior of the package 100 and forms a fire proof compartment 106. On the side of the package opposite the flap 102 there is a slit 107 extending a distance slightly longer. than the width of a paper match book M so that the cover of such a book may he slid into the slit 107 and out the open top of the label 104 and then folded back and closed in a normal manner. This installation will thus permit virtually any type of tobacco package to act as a carrier for the smokers matches.

Prior to the installation of the match book and during the manufacturing operation, most conventional cigarette packages are covered with a clear cellophane, and this particular package 100 is shown so covered in FIG. 22. The cellophane cover 108 is conventional except for the inclusion of a match book slit tab (not shown) and an ash compartment flap tab 109, which When peeled off will expose the label 104, and the tab and/or any adhering cellophane is discarded. The upper tab 110 removes the top section of the cellophane 108 and exposes the top edge 111 of the label 104 for its match book holding function.

The flap 102 of the label 104 is attached to the inner foil wrapper 105 by means of a small adhesive hinge 112 which permits the flap 102 to be folded back under the upper part of the label 104 when the wrapper unit 103 is pulled out through the open top of the package as seen in FIGURES 23 and 24. In the slightly modified package 113 of FIGURES and 26, the bottom edge 114 of the flap 102 includes an adhesive material 115 by which the flap 102' may be glued at the option of the user to the foil unit 103', and in this unit the flap 102 will be creased when it is pulled under the label 104.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 27 and 28, the flap 102 is attached to a relatively long tab 116 which extends out through the top of the package 100" and underlies the Government tax stamp 117 so that this stamp will be automatically destroyed when the tab 116 is pulled. As additional pull is applied to the tab 116, the foil unit 103 will be partially pulled out the open top of the package 100" and the flap 102 will simultaneously be pulled down and expose the opening 101 and thus provide an ash receptacle. The view in FIGURE 27 also discloses the proper relative arrangement of parts so that at no point does the cigarette package touch the table top T due to the support provided by the match book M.

The embodiment shown in FIGS, 8l8 will be recognized as variations of this invention and are filed for disclosure purposes. The device shown in FIG. 11, demonstrates one way that its fiap on the far side may be opened and pulled along its perforated lines to form an extra long length ash receptacle package which may be used with or without the included cigarettes. In FIGS. 17, 18 and 18A, the employment of an accordion type foil liner is seen to provide an ash receiving compartment which enlarges as the cigarettes are used.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen 6 that there has been produced a device which substantially fulfills the objects of this invention as set forth herein. The invention is not limited to the exemplary constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improvement in cigarette packages comprising: side panels of flexible and fire resistant material forming a hollow shell, an inner wrapper containing a plurality of cigarettes inserted in said shell, an opening in a side panel connecting with the interior of said shell, a flap of said flexible material adapted to cover said opening, and means responsive to movement of said wrapper so that said flap automatically be moved and will expose said opening to provide an ash receptacle when said wrapper is partially Withdrawn from said package.

2. An improvement in cigarette packages comprising: side panels of flexible and fire resistant material forming a hollow shell, an inner wrapper containing a plurality of cigarettes inserted in said shell, an opening in a side panel connecting with the interior of said shell, 2. flap of said flexible material adapted to cover said opening, and means connecting said flap to said wrapper and responsive to the movement of said wrapper so that said flap will automatically open and expose the interior of said package shell for use as an ash receptacle when said wrapper is partially withdrawn from said package.

3. An improvement in cigarette packages comprising: side panels of flexible and fire resistant materials forming a hollow shell, an inner wrapper containing cigarettes in said shell, an opening in a side panel connecting with the interior of said shell, a flap of said flexible material adapted to cover said opening, and means responsive to movement of said wrapper so that said flap will fold back under said side panel when said wrapper is moved.

4. An improvement in cigarette packages, comprising: side panels of flexible and fire resistant materials forming a hollow shell of rectangular configuration with an access opening at one end, an inner wrapper containing a plurality of cigarettes inserted in said shell, an opening in a side panel connecting with the interior of said shell, a flap of said flexible material having a free end, an attached end hinged about an axis transverse to the shell axis adapted to normally cover said opening, the hinge axis of the flap being on the side of the opening toward the shell access opening, and a folding adhesive tab conmeeting the underside of the free end of said flap to said wrapper to permit said flap to automatically open and expose the interior of said package shell for use as an ash receptacle When said wrapper is partially withdrawn from said package, and said flap being so constructed relative to the space between said flexible material and said inner wrapper that movement of said inner wrapper to its initial position will automatically return said flap to its initial position.

5. An improvement in cigarette packages comprising plural panels of flexible material forming a hollow shell of rectangular configuration, an inner wrapper containing a plurality of cigarettes inserted in said shell and being removable from one end thereof, and an integral flap to define an opening formed in one panel of said shell being hinged transversely of the shell on the side of the opening toward the first said shell end, and nor mally lying in the plane of said panel at a position adjacent to the other end of said shell, said flap being rnovable inwardly of the shell to provide an ash receiving opening upon partial removal of the wrapper from the shell and said flap being returned to the planar position with the panel to close the opening when engaged by the wrapper upon return of the wrapper into the shell.

6. An improvement in cigarette packages comprising plural panels of flexible material forming a hollow shell of rectangular configuration, an inner wrapper containing a plurality of cigarettes inserted in said shell and 7 8 being removable from a first end thereof, an integral References Cited in the file of this patent flap to define an opening formed in one panel of said shell being hinged transversely of the shell on the side UNITED STATES PATENTS of the opening toward theifirst said shell end, and nor- 1,172,411 V011 Kaenel F 22, 1916 mally lying in the plane of said panel at a position adja- 5 1,562,497 Derry OV. 24, 1925 cent to a second end of said shell, said flap being mov- 1,902,388 Welflh Mar. 21, 1933 able inwardly of the shell to provide an ash receiving 1,902,963 Lepflge at Mal. 28,1933 opening upon partial removal of the wrapper from the 2,085,062 Allen June 1937 shell and said flap being returned to the planar position 2,208,971 Gfilardl July 23, 1940 with the panel to close the opening when engaged by the 10 2,291,753 f f Aug. 4, 1942 Wrapper upon return of the wrapper into the shell, and 2,426,911 WllllamSOH Sept. 2, 1947 a pull tab connected with said flap and extending length- 2,541,173 Moore Feb. 13, 1951 wise of the shell along the interior surface of the shell 217201903 Pickfen Oct. 18, 1955 panel parallel to the panel containing the flap to a posi- 2,776,031 Riflgler Jan. 1, 1957 tion exterior of the first end of the shell, whereby the 15 FOREIGN PATENTS flap is moved inwardly of the shell as the wrapper is moved through the first end of the shell by operation of the pull tab.

110,271 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1917 

